TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Lingkar Madani Executive Director and political expert Ray Rangkuti argues that the meaning of reconciliation called upon Jokowi and Prabowo Subianto by a number of people is flawed and asserts that the two political leaders simply need to meet each other rather than reconcile.

The first reason, said Rangkuti, is that both men are competitors who come from different political parties who are attracting support from various voter demographics.

“Which is why pressing them to politically reconcile would be imprecise since both have differing identities since the beginning. The difference is what made them compete in the presidential election,” said Rangkuti when Tempo reached him on June 8.

This reason is why Rangkuti advised people to not force Jokowi and Prabowo to reconcile and let both men bear contrasting identities, with one as an incumbent and another as the challenger.

Read: Jokowi-Prabowo Reconciliation, Ma'ruf Amin: Negotiations Ongoing

“What needs to be pushed and avoided is that differences must not [be used to refute each other],” he said.

He then suggested that both presidential candidates merely meet each other in the sense of extending comradeship or brotherhood in order to maintain the tradition held up by democracy and to also ease the political tension.

“There is a sense of being an equal nation’s entity who wants to give their best for the country with different visions and ways. That is the difference between reconciliation and silaturahmi,” said Rangkuti.

DEWI NURITA